Round Rock opened the new Lakeview Stage and Pavilion at Old Settlers Park with live music, a ribbon-cutting and fireworks, part of a $147M park upgrade.

The grand opening: The event featured a live performance by singer Allen Stone, a ribbon-cutting with City Council members, Parks and Recreation officials and other community leaders, and a lineup of local vendors offering food and drinks.

How we got here: The Lakeview Stage and Pavilion are part of a broader $147 million, voter-approved bond program aimed at modernizing Old Settlers Park and preparing it for the region’s rapid growth. Planning began several years ago as the city evaluated aging facilities, increasing demand for sports tourism and strong public support for expanded green space and upgraded park amenities.
 

Read on to find out more about new restaurants, retail and health services that are coming soon or have recently opened in Round Rock. 

What you need to know: In addition to an expanded Round Rock Area Serving Center thrift store, several businesses are coming to central Round Rock. 

The Flats
The bar, locally owned by Place 1 City Council member Michelle Ly and her husband Erik Hall, moved down the street from its previous location at 205 N. Mays Street. The new space features a dog-friendly patio, arcade games, yard games, a pool table and more.
The Rock Sports Bar, also owned by the couple, is in the process of moving from its location to the former Flats building.

• Opened Oct. 28
• 112 E. Main St., Round Rock

Texans began receiving full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits Nov. 14, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced. The renewed SNAP payments came after two weeks of delays due to the 43-day federal government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12.

The overview: SNAP is a federally funded program that provides low-income individuals and families with monthly stipends to spend on groceries. The food assistance program ran out of funding Nov. 1, one month after the government shut down amid disagreements over federal health insurance subsidies.

The details: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks. Payments are issued on a rolling basis throughout each month.

“For SNAP clients who receive benefits on or after the 14th of the month, full benefits will be issued on their normal issuance date,” the HHSC website states. “SNAP clients who already received partial benefits will receive the rest of their monthly amount on or after Nov. 14.”

Austin Jeweler Korman celebrated the grand opening of The Jewel House, a new three-story space off North Lamar in late October.

The details: Since 1973, the Austin jewelry store has featured a hand-curated selection of designer jewelry and watches.

The new space, set among mature live oaks and overlooking Shoal Creek, brings new life to the former University Cyclery building. The Jewel House also features an intimate bridal salon for couples seeking a personal and private experience, according to a news release, in addition to a Rolex Service Center and private viewing rooms.

Meet the owners: Korman has been independently owned and operated for over 50 years with owners Kat and Larry Stokes taking over in 2018. The company is also a member of the Longhorn Business Network.

Quote of note: Co-owner Kat Stokes said The Jewel House is their homage to Austin.

“Restoring this building and bringing it back to life as a vibrant community space has been a dream realized,” Stokes said in the release.

2901 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin